America's
Best HistoryTM

Yosemite

America's
Best History ... Yosemite

Hiking.
Camping. Waterfalls. The wonder of
nature. Nestled
southeast of San Francisco, southwest of Lake Tahoe, and to some, in
the middle of nowhere, the awesome wonders of Yosemite National Park
wait for your visit with waterfalls that cascade into forests, with
hiking, camping, and many other activities for all in your family to
enjoy, plus some of the most popular national park hotels, lodges, tent
cabins, and other camping choices in the nation. Yosemite is
one
of the USA's most popular national parks. So popular, in
fact,
that the National Park Service keeps wondering how they're going to
protect it from its popularity, which now includes an elaborate shuttle
system to various sections of the park and reservations for lodging,
not entrance, that should be done months in advance.

Yosemite is a wilderness park known for its
waterfalls, but it has so
much more. El Capitan and the Merced River in the Yosemite
Valley
has been thrilling visitors even prior to the photo from 1899
above. (Photo courtesy Library of Congress).
Although
Yellowstone National Park was the nation's first in 1872, it was the
granting of Yosemite to the state of California as a public trust by
Abraham Lincoln eight years earlier that began the federal park
idea. Yosemite National Park was created, officially, into
the
national park system in 1890. It now contains over 750,000
acres
of wilderness for all to enjoy. Visitation grew steadily over
the
years, coming into the park in various forms. Horse drawn
carriages brought visitors into the valley until 1907, replaced by the
Yosemite Valley Railroad. Automobiles were officially allowed
entrance six years later. One million people visited the park
for
the first time in 1954, two million in 1976, and double that amount by
the 1990s. Public transporation has been encouraged since the
1970's and now includes free shuttle tranporation around a large number
of site in the Valley.

There are so many activities to enjoy, from hiking, camping, bird and
animal watching, ranger guided walks, shuttle bus rides, evening
campfire chats, visitor center films, exhibits, and more.
Check
out a visit to Yosemite National Park, and enjoy the natural wonders
from El Capitan to Bridalveil Falls, from the Tioga Pass to Hetch
Hetchy, next time you visit California and enjoy the history of the
natural lands of the United States.

Things You
Should Not Miss

1. The film, the Spirit of Yosemite,
running every thirty minutes, at the Valley Visitor Center.

2. Take a check of the Scheduled Events calendar at the
visitor
center or pick up a copy of Yosemite Today for the day of your visit,
pick out a few ranger guided events, and have a real treat.
There
is nothing like visiting the sites and sounds of Yosemite with a guide
who know their stuff. These events are held all over the
park,
from the Yosemite Valley to Wawona Mariposa Grove, Crane Flat, Yuolumne
Meadows, Glacier Point, and White Wolf.

3. Bridalveil Falls. The spectacular drop of the
rushing water is an inspiration.

4. Join a park ranger at the Dana Campfire Circle in the
Tuolumne
Meadows area for a campfire treat of songs, stories, and ranger facts
and fun. Many other areas and campgrounds include similar
programs.

Lodging and
Camping

There is a great range in the type of lodging available inside Yosemite
National Park, as well as a variety of hotels and motels outside its
boundaries. Inside the park, you can stay at 4 star rated
hotels
and bed and breakfasts, such as the Ahwahnee. Expect to pay
dearly for that choice, however, upwards of $450 per night.
Other
choices are well below that number, including Yosemite Lodge at the
Falls, the Wawona Hotel, Curry Village, Housekeeping Camps, Tuolumne
Meadows Lodge, White Wolf Lodge, and the High Sierra Camp.
For
example, the Wawona Hotel includes prices about $200 per night, while a
White Wolf Tent Cabin run $79, and a Curry Valley Housekeeping Tent for
6 runs $79 as well. (All prices reflect 2008 $ and are
subject to
change.) Yosemite lodging can be reserved up to one year in
advance.

Yosemite National Park is a haven for campers, but it is a very popular
haven. Some require reservation (up to five months in advance
is
allowed), while others operate on a first-come, first-served basis, but
even those often fill by noon during peak months. Peak months
run
from April to September, and some campgrounds are open year
round. Rates range from $5 to $20 per night. There
is a
great variety, from those in Yosemite Valley (Upper Pines, Lower Pines,
North Pines, and Camp 4) to South (Wawona and Bridalveil Creek) to
North (Hodgdon Meadow, Crane Flat, Tamarack Flat, White Wolf, Yosemite
Creek, Porcupine Flat, Tuolumne Meadows). Most of these RV
sites,
except for Camp 4, Tamarack Flat, and Yosemite Creek. To
check on
their availability or need for reservations, go to Recreation.gov.
There are also backcountry campgrounds that require a wilderness
permit, but are not on the reservation system. There are also
a
number of campgrounds, and other motel and hotel choices, outside the
park.

Nearby
Attractions

Yosemite Then
and Now

Yosemite Then

The beauty of the Yosemite Valley, its falls,
meadows, and
other natural wonders has been a source of inspiration for generations,
first, of course, to the native American tribes that inhabited the
area, including the Southern Miwok and the Mono Piautes. To
learn
more about the Indian heritage, visit the Indian Village of Ahwahnee in
the Yosemite Valley area. Once non-Indian people viewed the
spectacular vistas of the area, it was not long before miners,
entrepreneurs, and tourists would begin their love affair with
Yosemite. From Yosemite Falls to El Capitan, the natural
wonders
of the California national park inspire all who cross into its borders.

Yosemite Now

Yosemite Today
- Yosemite Village along Yosemite Creek is the starting point for many
visitors. It includes the Valley Visitor Center, which is the
hub
for the El Capitan Shuttle, Visitor Orientation, films, and
exhibits. Outside the visitor center proper, you will find
galleries by Ansel Adams, the Yosemite Museum, the Valley Wilderness
Center, as well as places to eat and shop for supplies. The
Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Lodge, and Curry Villlage are located in this
area as well. Currey Village contains visitor services, plus
several amphitheatres.

Other visitor centers, lodges, shuttles, and ranger walks surround
Tuolumne Meadows inside the Tioga Pass east entrance, Wawona and
Mariposa Grove in the south, including the Pioneer Yosemite History
Center, White Wolf, Glacier Point, and Crane Flat. And let's
not
forget Hetch Hetchy, where perhaps lesser known falls in more secluded
places such as Rancheria, Wapama, and Tueeulala have their own charms.